US4186878A - System for positioning the spray boom of agricultural sprayers - Google Patents

System for positioning the spray boom of agricultural sprayers Download PDF

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Publication number
US4186878A
US4186878A US05/954,778 US95477878A US4186878A US 4186878 A US4186878 A US 4186878A US 95477878 A US95477878 A US 95477878A US 4186878 A US4186878 A US 4186878A
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boom
signal
accordance
pressure
sprayer
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Expired - Lifetime
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US05/954,778
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English (en)
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Maurice C. J. Lestradet
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
    • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass
    • A01M7/005—Special arrangements or adaptations of the spraying or distributing parts, e.g. adaptations or mounting of the spray booms, mounting of the nozzles, protection shields
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2300/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of vehicle
    • B60G2300/08—Agricultural vehicles
    • B60G2300/083—Boom carrying vehicles, e.g. for crop spraying

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns agricultural sprayers designed for the spreading of crop treatment products, herbicides, fungicides, and particularly fertilizers in suspension.
  • These machines comprise one or more spray booms deployed above the soil and projecting conically shaped sprays of product against it.
  • the boom or booms are equipped with spray nozzles aimed at the ground.
  • the spray that is applied to the soil by a nozzle strikes the ground in a pattern of circular or nearly circular elliptical shape, whose size depends on the height of the nozzle above the ground and on the pressure of the liquid being sprayed.
  • the total area sprayed will depend on the pressure of the liquid being sprayed. The greater the pressure is, the closer the cone will approach the theoretical cone defined by the design spray angle of the nozzle. On the other hand, as the pressure diminishes, the spray coverage tends to be reduced by the action of gravity.
  • the object of the present invention is to eliminate these difficulties by proposing means for achieving an optimum spray coverage despite any variations in the pressure of the liquid being sprayed.
  • the object of the invention is to bring it about that the circles or ellipses formed by the conical sprays on the surface of the ground will be constantly tangent with one another regardless of the pressure of the liquid being sprayed, or, at the very least, regardless of what that pressure is within a predetermined range.
  • the subject matter of the invention is a device for the automatic regulation of the height, with respect to the plane of the surface being treated, of a boom equipped with the conical spray nozzles of a spraying machine, particularly an agricultural sprayer, characterized by comprising a system for shifting the boom perpendicularly to the plane of the surface being treated, which is mounted on the chassis of the sprayer, means for detecting the position of the boom with respect to the chassis, means for comparing the signals coming from the detection means with a signal representing of said fluid pressure in the boom, and means connected to the comparison means for operating the said shifting system in the one direction or the other according to the differences detected, for the purpose of keeping a substantially tangent relationship between the circles or ellipses formed by the conical spray jets on the plane of the surface being treated.
  • the said means for detecting the position of the boom is constituted by a certain number of fixed detectors aligned along the course of movement of a detector actuating member affixed to the boom, these detectors being capable of transmitting a signal when the detector actuating member reaches or passes the level of the detector in question, the signals being constantly compared with the value of the boom pressure signal in the said comparison means, each signal being capable of reducing the departure from the input value by a predetermined, controllable amount.
  • the boom position detecting means is constituted by a transducer continuously signaling the momentary position of the boom along its course of travel, the signal put out by the transducer being sent to the comparison means.
  • the comparison means are means receiving, on the one hand, the input signal, and, on the other hand, the signal or signals representing the position of the boom and putting out boom movement control signals whenever the momentary difference between the compared signals exceeds a predetermined, controllable threshold.
  • FIG. 1 represents diagrammatically a front view of a spray boom spraying a product on a surface
  • FIG. 2 illustrates diagrammatically a first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention
  • FIG. 3 illustrates diagrammatically a second embodiment.
  • a spray boom of an agricultural sprayer (not shown) is indicated at 1.
  • This boom is disposed substantially parallel with the surface S of the ground and comprises a plurality of spray nozzles 2 regularly distributed and pointing toward the ground so as to project onto the ground the conical sprays 3 of a liquid treatment product, for example.
  • the conical sprays 3 are all alike, and their angle at the apex is determined by the structure of the nozzles and the pressure of the liquid within the boom 1.
  • the height H of the boom 1 above the ground S is therefore of fundamental importance.
  • a liquid pressure in boom 1 of 2.250 bars is used, and the ideal height H is 1.25 meters, corresponding to the spray configuration 3 represented in solid lines in FIG. 1.
  • the extreme generatrices of sprays 3 meet precisely at the ground level S.
  • the circles (or nearly circular ellipses) at which the conical sprays 3 contact the ground level S are precisely tangent to one another. These circles are represented rotated at 90° at C in FIG. 1.
  • a system for regulating the height H in accordance with the variations of the liquid pressure in the boom.
  • the boom 1 can be shifted on the sprayer chassis by means of a double-acting hydraulic jack, represented diagrammatically at 5 in FIG. 1, for example.
  • the body of the jack 5 is fixed to the chassis and the piston rod 6 of the jack is affixed to the boom 1.
  • the jack 5 makes it possible to raise or lower the boom 1 with respect to the ground S under the control of an appropriate device acting on the basis of the variations in the pressure of the liquid in the boom 1.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of such a device for the control of the jack 5.
  • the spray boom 1 is provided with a cam 7 affixed to it and movable vertically with it.
  • the cam 7 is represented by a rectangle which, in its upward travel, can meet a series of successive limit switches 8 stacked vertically and affixed to the chassis of the sprayer.
  • the comparator 12 likewise receives at its input a signal representing the pressure of the liquid in the spray boom.
  • the instruction signal is given, for example, by a transducer (not shown) whose purpose is to convert the liquid pressure to an inversely proportional electrical signal.
  • the comparator 12 has three outputs connected to a solenoid valve (not shown) controlling the jack 5 for raising and lowering the spray boom. One of the outputs (+) controls the raising of the boom 1, and another output (-) controls the lowering of the boom, while the third (0) holds the boom in position.
  • the adder circuit 11 constantly delivers to the comparator 12 a signal whose amplitude is proportional to the number of limit switches actuated by cam 7, that is to say, proportional to the height of the boom 1 above the ground, with, however, a slight uncertainty of position due to the space separating the feelers 9. To reduce this uncertainty, it will suffice to provide a sufficient number of limit switches.
  • the output signal of circuit 11 When the boom is in the lowered position (1'), the output signal of circuit 11 is at a minimum, but when it is in the raised position it is maximum. Between these two extreme levels, the output signal of circuit 11 assumes different values step by step according to the height of the cam 7 with respect to the fixed feelers 9. The signal with which the output signal of circuit 11 is to be compared will have a certain level which is inversely proportional to the pressure of the liquid in the boom.
  • a manual adjustment is made of the known ideal height of the boom 1, on the basis of the pressure at this time of the liquid to be sprayed.
  • the individual level of the signals delivered by the limit switches 8 is set by means of their associated presetting circuits 10, or the level of the liquid pressure signal is adjusted, by means of a potentiometer, for example, so as to obtain the signal 0 (holding the boom in position) at the output of the comparator 12, corresponding to a difference between the inputs of the comparator 12 equal to zero or at least lower than a predetermined adjustable threshold.
  • the comparator 12 will detect a difference, producing a signal + at the output and commanding the raising of the boom 1.
  • one or more additional feelers 9 will be engaged by the cam 7, which will increase the level of the signal applied to the comparator 12.
  • the + output is deactivated and the 0 output is activated, holding the boom 1 at the height that has been reached.
  • This new position of the boom 1 will correspond to a renewed tangency of the circles C, provided, of course, that first the system has been calibrated, that the presetting circuits 10 have been selected and adjusted such that the various positions which can be occupied by the boom 1 correspond to such liquid pressures that the said circles C are indeed substantially tangent to one another. If, however, the liquid pressure should increase, the pressure signal voltage would decrease.
  • the comparator will detect a difference in the opposite direction from that of the previous case and will deliver to the output (-) a signal commanding the lowering of the boom until the output signal of circuit 11 becomes equal to the pressure signal.
  • the pressure signal applied to the comparator 12 can also be directly proportional to the liquid pressure rather than inversely proportional. Since, however, the signal put out by circuit 11 has to develop in the same direction as the pressure signal, it is necessary, for example, for the boom to be raised in response to a lowering of pressure, and actuate the different limit switches so as to decrease the voltage of the signal put out by circuit 11.
  • the arrangement of cam 7 must then be the inverse of that shown in FIG. 2, that is, when the boom is in the raised position, all of the feelers 9 will be disengaged from the cam, and in the lowered position they will all be engaged, unless the arrangement of FIG. 2 is retained and provision is made for the limit switches to open when they are engaged instead of closing.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment, in which the detection of the change of height of the boom 1 is accomplished continuously rather than in steps. To this end, an analog movement is converted into an analog signal whose level at any moment corresponds to a particular height of the boom.
  • Such a system is, of course, more precise than a stepwise method of detection as in the case of the feelers 9 of FIG. 2.
  • the boom 1 is connected mechanically by a linkage system symbolized at 13 to a transducer 14 delivering at its output an analog signal whose voltage is proportional to the elevation of boom 1.
  • a transducer 14 delivering at its output an analog signal whose voltage is proportional to the elevation of boom 1.
  • This output signal of transducer 14 is delivered to two comparators 15 and 16, both of which receive the signal representing the pressure of the liquid in the boom, this signal being directly proportional to that pressure.
  • the two comparators 15 and 16 control a hydraulic control valve 17 controlling the hydraulic jack 5.
  • One of the comparators (15) is designed to detect a negative difference between the pressure signal and the signal indicating the height of the boom 1 and to cause the boom to lower, while the other comparator (16) detects a positive difference and commands the raising of the boom.
  • the spray boom lowering and raising means is a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder operated by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic control valve, but it can also be an electric motor driving an endless screw or rack, or other such means.
  • the spray boom height detecting systems can be constituted by equivalent mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical, photoelectrical or electronic means.
  • the various signals delivered to the comparator or comparators can be numerical signals, the comparators being, of course, adapted for these signals.
  • the invention is applied generally to the projection or spraying of any liquid onto any surface whenever it is desired to prevent the sprays from overlapping or from leaving unsprayed areas between them.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Insects & Arthropods (AREA)
  • Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
  • Special Spraying Apparatus (AREA)
US05/954,778 1978-07-21 1978-10-26 System for positioning the spray boom of agricultural sprayers Expired - Lifetime US4186878A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7821717 1978-07-21
FR7821717A FR2431255A1 (fr) 1978-07-21 1978-07-21 Dispositif de positionnement de la rampe de pulverisation de pulverisateurs agricoles

Publications (1)

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US4186878A true US4186878A (en) 1980-02-05

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US05/954,778 Expired - Lifetime US4186878A (en) 1978-07-21 1978-10-26 System for positioning the spray boom of agricultural sprayers

Country Status (7)

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US (1) US4186878A (cs)
BG (1) BG28681A3 (cs)
CA (1) CA1108730A (cs)
CS (1) CS204048B2 (cs)
FR (1) FR2431255A1 (cs)
HU (1) HU184689B (cs)
PL (1) PL121546B1 (cs)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3148293A1 (de) * 1981-12-05 1983-07-28 Detec S.A., 1205 Genève Vorrichtung zum ueberwachen der entfernung einer zerstaeubungseinrichtung, insbesondere einer spritzpistole von einem zu bespruehenden objekt, insbesondere einer wand
US4519542A (en) * 1981-07-24 1985-05-28 John Blue Company, A Division Of Burnley Corporation Boomless, sprayer for field application for agricultural liquids
WO1993002552A1 (en) * 1991-08-06 1993-02-18 Benest Engineering Limited Method and apparatus for crop spraying
US20040003535A1 (en) * 2002-07-08 2004-01-08 Wiese Adam H. Combination foliage compaction and treatment method and apparatus
US20090302129A1 (en) * 2008-06-09 2009-12-10 Thomas Hartley Three-dimensional spray envelopment system
WO2018017746A1 (en) * 2016-07-22 2018-01-25 Precision Planting Llc Implements, systems, and methods for applying stress to early stage agricultural plants of agricultural fields
CN111806688A (zh) * 2019-06-15 2020-10-23 沈阳工业大学 一种双液压缸的植保机喷杆高度和倾斜度非线性控制方法
US11852621B2 (en) 2020-04-23 2023-12-26 Cnh Industrial Canada, Ltd. System and method for monitoring tilled floor conditions using a tilled floor sensing assembly
US12004504B2 (en) 2020-05-29 2024-06-11 Cnh Industrial America Llc Systems and methods for controlling a nozzle assembly of an agricultural applicator
US12207646B2 (en) 2020-05-29 2025-01-28 Cnh Industrial America Llc Systems and methods for altering an actuator of an agricultural applicator
US12490733B2 (en) 2024-04-04 2025-12-09 Cnh Industrial America Llc System and method for an agricultural machine

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2514525A1 (fr) * 1981-10-09 1983-04-15 Cemagref Procede de stabilisation d'un mobile suspendu avec au moins une liberte de mouvement par rapport a une trajectoire recherchee et son application a la stabilisation d'une rampe pulverisatrice
FR2529477B1 (fr) * 1982-07-05 1988-06-03 Evrard Ets Dispositif de suspension gravitaire de rampe de pulverisation agricole

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2699967A (en) * 1953-08-03 1955-01-18 Clifton A Craig Tractor carried spray equipment
US3034727A (en) * 1959-04-24 1962-05-15 Howard E Paulson Bituminous distributor
US3362643A (en) * 1965-09-27 1968-01-09 Holley Carburetor Co Fluid supply system including means for changing fluid pressure in response to nozzle rotation
US3874593A (en) * 1973-10-23 1975-04-01 Theodore G Wilt Spray support frame

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1589561A (cs) * 1968-10-18 1970-03-31
DE2160227A1 (de) * 1971-12-04 1973-06-07 Dietrich Maass Hoehenverstellbare spritzgestaengeaufhaengung fuer fahrbare schaedlingsbekaempfungsgeraete in feldkulturen mit einem quer zur fahrtrichtung liegenden spritzgestaenge
BE829886A (fr) * 1975-06-05 1975-10-01 Rampe auto-stabilisee et auto-articulee

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2699967A (en) * 1953-08-03 1955-01-18 Clifton A Craig Tractor carried spray equipment
US3034727A (en) * 1959-04-24 1962-05-15 Howard E Paulson Bituminous distributor
US3362643A (en) * 1965-09-27 1968-01-09 Holley Carburetor Co Fluid supply system including means for changing fluid pressure in response to nozzle rotation
US3874593A (en) * 1973-10-23 1975-04-01 Theodore G Wilt Spray support frame

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4519542A (en) * 1981-07-24 1985-05-28 John Blue Company, A Division Of Burnley Corporation Boomless, sprayer for field application for agricultural liquids
DE3148293A1 (de) * 1981-12-05 1983-07-28 Detec S.A., 1205 Genève Vorrichtung zum ueberwachen der entfernung einer zerstaeubungseinrichtung, insbesondere einer spritzpistole von einem zu bespruehenden objekt, insbesondere einer wand
WO1993002552A1 (en) * 1991-08-06 1993-02-18 Benest Engineering Limited Method and apparatus for crop spraying
GB2272354A (en) * 1991-08-06 1994-05-18 Benest Eng Ltd Method and apparatus for crop spraying
GB2272354B (en) * 1991-08-06 1995-11-15 Benest Eng Ltd Method and apparatus for crop spraying
US20040003535A1 (en) * 2002-07-08 2004-01-08 Wiese Adam H. Combination foliage compaction and treatment method and apparatus
US7121040B2 (en) * 2002-07-08 2006-10-17 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of Agriculture Combination foliage compaction and treatment method and apparatus
US20090302129A1 (en) * 2008-06-09 2009-12-10 Thomas Hartley Three-dimensional spray envelopment system
WO2018017746A1 (en) * 2016-07-22 2018-01-25 Precision Planting Llc Implements, systems, and methods for applying stress to early stage agricultural plants of agricultural fields
US11963490B2 (en) 2016-07-22 2024-04-23 Precision Planting Llc Implements, systems, and methods for applying stress to early stage agricultural plants of agricultural fields
CN111806688A (zh) * 2019-06-15 2020-10-23 沈阳工业大学 一种双液压缸的植保机喷杆高度和倾斜度非线性控制方法
CN111806688B (zh) * 2019-06-15 2023-06-20 沈阳工业大学 一种双液压缸的植保机喷杆高度和倾斜度非线性控制方法
US11852621B2 (en) 2020-04-23 2023-12-26 Cnh Industrial Canada, Ltd. System and method for monitoring tilled floor conditions using a tilled floor sensing assembly
US12004504B2 (en) 2020-05-29 2024-06-11 Cnh Industrial America Llc Systems and methods for controlling a nozzle assembly of an agricultural applicator
US12207646B2 (en) 2020-05-29 2025-01-28 Cnh Industrial America Llc Systems and methods for altering an actuator of an agricultural applicator
US12490733B2 (en) 2024-04-04 2025-12-09 Cnh Industrial America Llc System and method for an agricultural machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
PL121546B1 (en) 1982-05-31
CA1108730A (fr) 1981-09-08
HU184689B (en) 1984-09-28
BG28681A3 (en) 1980-06-16
FR2431255B1 (cs) 1980-12-12
CS204048B2 (en) 1981-03-31
FR2431255A1 (fr) 1980-02-15
PL211165A1 (cs) 1980-07-14

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